Interactions between Muslims and Non-Muslims

Before we begin, let us mention


the words of the award winning


TED speaker and author Dr. Karen


Armstrong: “Ever since the Crusades,


when Christians from western Europe


were fighting holy wars against


Muslims in the near east, western


people have often perceived Islam as


a violent and intolerant faith - even


though when this prejudice took root


Islam had a better record of tolerance


than Christianity.”


Interactions between


Muslims and Non-Muslims


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01 Financial transactions between


Muslims and non-Muslims


All financial transactions are lawful


between Muslims and non-Muslims,


such as buying and selling, and taking


part in companies, as long as the


Islamic principles are upheld. A’ishah,


may Allah be pleased with her said:


“The Prophet  bought some food


from a Jewish seller and was not able


to pay the money upfront so he left his


armor as collateral with him until he


could pay.” (Bukhari)


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The only form of bartering that is


unlawful is that which contains a


degree of harm. Allah, the Exalted,


says:


“O you who have believed, do


not consume usury, doubled and


multiplied, but fear Allah that you may


be successful.” (3:130)


Allah, the Exalted, also says:


“O you who have believed, indeed,


intoxicants, gambling, sacrificing on


stone alters, and divining arrows are


but defilement from the work of Satan,


so avoid it that you may be successful.


Satan only wants to cause between


you animosity and hatred through


intoxicants and gambling and to


distract you from the remembrance of


Allah and from prayer. So will you not


desist?” (5:90-91)


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02 Performing prayers in a Non-


Muslim place


It is lawful for Muslims to perform


prayers in a non-Muslim place of


worship. Abu Musa performed prayers


in a church in Damascus.


It is not praiseworthy for a Muslim


to do this, for there maybe idols, and


other pictures. So, it is recommended


that only if a person cannot find any


other place to pray in, he may pray


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there. Umar said to a Christian, “We


do not enter your Churches due to the


pictures that are posted on the walls.”


03 Entering the Masjid (Mosque)


It is lawful for non-Muslims to enter


the Masjid, if there is a need. This


provision does not include the Grand


Mosque in Makkah. As for Madinah,


the Prophet  met with some non-


Muslim delegates there.


04 Visiting Non-Muslims


It is good for Muslims to visit non-Muslims


who are sick and to supplicate for them


that they become healthy. Anas said a


young boy from a Jewish background fell


sick and the Prophet  visited him and


encouraged him to accept Islam. The


boy looked to his father for permission,


and the father told his sick son: “Obey


Abal-Qasim (i.e. Muhammad )”, so


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he said the Testimony of Faith and the


Prophet  said, “All praise is due to Allah


who saved him from the Fire.” (Bukhari)


05 Giving Condolences to Non-


Muslims


We can also give our condolences


to non-Muslims. Abu Hurairah said


that the Prophet  said: “I sought


permission to visit my mother’s grave


and it was granted to me.” (Muslim).


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06 Giving Charity to Non-Muslims


One can give charity to non-Muslims


as long as they are not engaged in


oppressing others. Abdullah Bin ‘Amr


slaughtered a sheep and gave some of


its meat as a gift to his Jewish


neighbor. He said, “The Messenger of


Allah  said: ‘The Angel Gabriel kept


on enjoining the good treatment of


neighbors to the extent that I thought


that he would include neighbors as


heirs.’” (Muslim)


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07 Maintaining Ties of Kinship with


non- Muslim Relatives


Islam has further encouraged Muslims


to maintain the relations of kinship


even if they be non-Muslims. Asma


bint Abi Bakr, came to the Prophet 


and said: “My mother is visiting me,


and she is a non-Muslim.” He said, “Be


kind to your mother.” (Bukhari)


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08 Using Non-Muslims Utensils


and Clothes


There is no concern for Muslims to eat


from non-Muslims utensils and use


their clothes as long as they are not


made from materials that are unlawful


for us. Abu Tha’labah al-Khushani said:


“O Messenger of Allah, we are in a land


that belongs to the People of the Book,


shall we eat with their utensils?” He


said: “If you can find other utensils, it is


better. If not, then wash them and use


them.” (Bukhari)


09 Marrying a Non-Muslim


It is also lawful for a Muslim man to


marry a chaste woman from the People


of the Book. Allah, the Exalted, says:


“This day [all] good foods have been


made lawful, and the food of those


who were given the Scripture is lawful


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for you and your food is lawful for them.


And lawful in marriage are chaste


women from among the believers and


chaste women from among those who


were given the Scripture before you,


when you have given them their due


compensation, desiring chastity, not


unlawful sexual intercourse or taking


them as [secret] lovers. And whoever


denies the faith, his work has become


worthless, and he, in the Hereafter, will


be among the losers.” (5:5)


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10 Accepting Islam while being


married


Whoever accepts Islam and is married


to a woman from the People of the


Book, his marriage would continue to


remain valid.


11 Eating the Food of Non-Muslims


It is lawful for one to eat of the foods


slaughtered by the People of the Book,


as long as it is lawful for us to eat and


they have mentioned the name of God


over it. Allah, the Exalted, says:


“And do not eat of that upon which the


name of God has not been mentioned,


for indeed, it is grave disobedience.”


(6:121)


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12 Offering Protection to a Non-


Muslims


We are to offer protection to a non-


Muslim if he seeks it. Allah, the Exalted,


says:


“And if any one of the polytheists


seeks your protection, then grant him


protection so that he may hear the


words of Allah. Then deliver him to his


place of safety.” (9:6)


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13 Do not speak ill of Non-


Muslims’ Faith


A Muslim is not to swear or speak ill


of the non-Muslims’ faith. Allah, the


Exalted, says:


“And do not insult those they invoke


other than Allah, lest they insult Allah


in enmity without knowledge.” (6:108)


14 Paying the loan to Non-Muslims


Allah has ordered that we repay our


loans to a non-Muslim. He, the Exalted,


says:


“O you who have believed, fulfill [all]


contracts.” (5:1)


He, the Exalted, also says:


“And fulfill [every] commitment.


Indeed, the commitment is ever [that


about which one will be] questioned.”


(17:34)


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15 Showing Kindness to Non-


Muslims


Furthermore, we are encouraged to


show kindness and to uphold justice


for those who do not share our faith.


Allah, the Exalted, says: “As regards


those who do not fight you because


of religion and do not expel you from


your homes, Allah does not forbid you


from being righteous toward them


and acting justly toward them. Indeed,


Allah loves those who act justly.” (60:8)


The Prophet  also said: “Whoever


kills a person who is under a contract


of safety in a Muslim country, that


person will not even smell the scent of


Jannah.” (Bukhari)


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16 Non-Muslims should receive the


welfare services


When a non-Muslim resides in a


Muslim state, he would receive the


welfare services due to any citizen


who has reached a senior age. Umar


saw an old man who was Jewish, and


he asked about his condition. He was


told that he was from the people who


had previously paid the protection-tax.


So, the Caliph, Umar, told him, “We


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have not been fair to you. We took


Jizyah from you while you were young


and now that you are old, you have


nothing!” So, he took him by his hand


till he went to the Muslim treasury, and


he gave him some food and clothing.


He then told the treasurer, “Find


people like him and give them what is


enough for them and their families.”


He then recited the verse: “Zakah


expenditures are only for the poor and


for the needy.” (9:60)


He said the poor are the Muslims and


the needy are those from the People


of the Book.


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17 Non-Muslims will be forgiven if


they cease


Allah has opened the gateway of


forgiveness for them (non-Muslims).


He, the Exalted, says:


“Say to those who have disbelieved


[that] if they cease, what has previously


occurred will be forgiven for them. But


if they return to hostility], then the


precedent of the former [rebellious]


peoples has already taken place.”


(8:38)


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18 Wanting good for others is a


sign of one’s faith


The Prophet  said to Abu Hurairah:


“O Abu Hurairah, be cautious, and you


will be the most devoted of people to


Allah. Be content, and you will be the


most grateful of people to Allah. Love


for people what you love for yourself,


and you will be a (true) believer. Be a


good neighbor to your neighbors, and


you will be a (true) Muslim. And laugh


little, for laughing a lot deadens the


heart spiritually.” (Saheeh Ibn Majah)


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To download and read the complete book,


click on the  picture here.


This is an excerpt


of a larger book titled


“Ease and Tolerance in Islam”


by Abd Ar- Rahman


bin Abd Al-Kareem Ash-Sheha.